Gonçalves, JoséFranco, Andrés FelipeGomes da Silva, PriscillaRodriguez, ElisaDiaz, IsraelGonzález Peña, Maria JoséMesquita, João R.Muñoz, RaulGarcia-Encina, Pedro2025-03-072025-03-072024-091863-0650PURE: 106484317PURE UUID: 054a4222-7d7c-4a5f-8a22-a762e0a0fc22Scopus: 85201149774WOS: 001290910800001http://hdl.handle.net/10362/180253Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship, Grant/Award Number: PLASMARISE – 101151154. Regional Government of Castilla y León and the FEDER program, Grant/Award Numbers: CLU2017-09, CL-EI-2021-07, UIC315, VA266P20; Associate Laboratory ARNET—Aquatic Research Network. Agua de Valladolid. © 2024 The Author(s). CLEAN – Soil, Air, Water published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.The presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in wastewater and its potential as an airborne transmission source require extensive investigation, particularly in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), where few studies have been conducted. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and norovirus (NoV) RNA in wastewater and air samples collected from a municipal WWTP. In addition, the study assessed the potential risk of viral exposure among WWTP employees. In both the summer and winter campaigns of this study, SARS-CoV-2 and NoV RNA were quantified in wastewater/sludge samples other than effluent. Viral RNA was not detected in any of the air samples collected. The exposure risk assessment with the SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in the influent pumping station of this study shows a lower risk than the calculation with the historical data provided by AquaVall, but both show a low-to-medium exposure risk for the WWTP workers. The sensitivity analysis shows that the result of the model is strongly influenced by the SARS-CoV-2 RNA quantification in the wastewater. This study underscores the need for extensive investigations into the presence and viability of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, especially as a potential airborne transmission source within WWTPs.685626engaerosolnorovirusoccupational healthSARS-CoV-2wastewaterEnvironmental ChemistryWater Science and TechnologyPollutionSDG 3 - Good Health and Well-beingSDG 6 - Clean Water and SanitationSDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communitiesjournal article10.1002/clen.202300267https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85201149774